Iowa wide receiver Matt VandeBerg celebrates his 39-yard touchdown with Brady Ross during the Hawkeyes' game against Illinois at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017. David Scrivner/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Iowa wide receiver Matt VandeBerg runs down field for a 39-yard touchdown during the Hawkeyes' game against Illinois at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017. David Scrivner/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Referees, officials and fans wave to patients at the University of Iowa Children's Hospital during the Hawkeyes' game against Illinois at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017. David Scrivner/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Iowa sophomore Amani Hooker is grabbed by Illinois linebacker Dele Harding after running the ball for a first down on a fake punt on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Bryon Houlgrave/The Register

Iowa running back Akrum Wadley scores a touchdown in the final seconds of the first half of the Hawkeyes' game against Illinois at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017. David Scrivner/Iowa City Press-Citizen

That’s good advice for his players — and Hawkeye fans — at this moment.

At the halfway point, there’s stuff to like and stuff to be worried about.

Let’s start with the concerns.

I have no idea what to make of Iowa’s run defense. It can look great at times and it can be puzzling at others. The listless Illini gashed Iowa for 9.4 yards per carry in the first half. They averaged 3.5 in the second.

Speaking of the line, there’s not much pass rush at all. I thought it would be better. The front four couldn’t penetrate an Illinois offensive line that started four freshmen. Yikes.

Offensively, the run game still isn’t there. Iowa was officially 10 times better than last week’s 19 rushing yards (with 191 Saturday), but its longest rush was 18 yards against the Big Ten’s worst defense.

Stanley’s been up and down but better than expected (15 touchdowns, two interceptions) as he replaced an NFL quarterback in C.J. Beathard, and there are more pass targets at his disposal from Nick Easley to Noah Fant to T.J. Hockenson to Ihmir Smith-Marsette. He's been fantastic in the fourth quarter, especially against Iowa State and Penn State — and again Saturday in a 21-0 finish.

“We just continue to fight," Stanley said. "If something’s not going well, we continue to grind it out and get scores when we need them.”

The defensive secondary has kept it together against a string of good quarterbacks. Joshua Jackson looks like an all-Big Ten cornerback at times, and now with Brandon Snyder and Amani Hooker teaming up at safety, the Hawkeyes are solidified in the back end.

Frankly, it’s hard to draw any overall conclusions about the Hawkeyes at this point — even though they are who we thought they were: A team on track to go 6-6 or 7-5.

The Iowa coach talks big picture at the halfway mark with his team 4-2.
Chad Leistikow

A key stretch comes now for the Hawkeyes. For two weeks, they’ll disappear from public view before re-emerging Oct. 21 at Northwestern — the start of the six-game, 35-day finishing flurry.

“It comes at a great time, too,” senior offensive lineman Sean Welsh said. “We’re kind of at a pivotal spot, where we’re trying to improve our fundamentals. That’s what bye weeks are for. You’re not really game-planning for anyone specific, you’re just trying to get better.”